*Orders both clubs to play their home matches behind closed gates
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Determined to stop hooligans from messing up the new image it is building for the Nigerian Premier Football League, the Interim Management Committee (IMC) yesterday acted swiftly on the assault of an Assistant Referee at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenegoa by ordering deduction of three points and three goals from Bayelsa United FC.
This punishment is the outcome of the review of the official match report of the NPFL Match-day 5 fixture between Bayelsa United and Doma FC on Wednesday.
In a statement issued by the IMC and signed by Harry Iwuala, the league body also ordered an indefinite closure to fans of the Maiduguri Township Stadium for El-Kanemi Warriors home fixtures pending investigation into reported security breaches in the course of their match against Bendel Insurance midweek.
In the memo conveying Bayelsa United sanctions, the club was charged for breaches of Rule B8:21, C11 and B13:52.
“For failure to provide adequate security for match officials during and after the match, contrary to Rule B8:21, Bayelsa United was fined the sum of ₦1million and another ₦500,000 for failure to ensure the restriction of access by unauthorised persons to all restricted areas.”
It therefore directed the deduction of three points and three goals from the accumulated points/goals of Bayelsa United, for the assault on the match official. IMC also ordered the club to pay a fine of ₦250,000, being compensatory payment to the assaulted Assistant Referee 2, Ojeleye Ebenezer.
To serve as lessons to other elements with tendencies for hooliganism at match venues, IMC directed Bayelsa United to ensure the immediate prosecution of one Mr. Joseph Zidougha (a.k.a One Man Riot) for carrying out the assault on a match official and furnish the Legal and Compliance Department of the NPFL with Verifiable evidence of the prosecution.
“The said Joseph Zidougha has been banned for a period of one year from all NPFL-related activities, while the Samson Siasia Stadium has been closed indefinitely to fans.”
In the case of El-Kanemi Warriors, the attention of the club management was drawn to the state of the playing pitch and security breach investigation.
IMC informed El-Kanemi that it has commenced investigation into reports of “your most recent home game, and pending the outcome of the investigation, you are hereby ordered to play your future home games strictly under closed doors”.
Crowd violence midweek led to the breaking of the head of the Chief Coach of Bendel Insurance FC, Monday Odigie at the Maiduguri Stadium. Insurance however won the match to maintain their unbeaten five-game run.
